Is that your child dressed like a homeless person? Yes. Yes it is.
For years I fought the quotidian battle of the outfits with my children. I spent time, effort and a lot of money coordinating cute things from Baby Gap, Janie and Jack, Old Navy and Children's Place. Cute top? Check. Adorable skirt? Check. Matching tights? Hell yeah. Teeny tiny shoes: yes and even yesser. Hair accessory? Duh.
Then, they got all mobile and opinionated. My vision of tiny doll-like-girls was tossed aside with the matching ensembles. Lena shunned any jeans and insisted on wearing "soft pants" with everything. Colors, patterns, styles - be dammed. Emmeline has followed suit (heinous leopard print clown suit - but suit nonetheless). They have proclaimed "I will wear the things I feel like wearing when I feel like wearing them and rock it with panache" and never looked back. And, who am I to stop them?
Perhaps against my better judgment they have left the house wearing (just to name a few):
Getting dressed is NOT my battle with the girls - because there are SO FREAKIN MANY OTHER BATTLES waged on a daily basis. You want to look like you just crawled out of a Salvation Army donation bin - be my guest. However there is ONE exception to the rule. You will not wear this:
For years I fought the quotidian battle of the outfits with my children. I spent time, effort and a lot of money coordinating cute things from Baby Gap, Janie and Jack, Old Navy and Children's Place. Cute top? Check. Adorable skirt? Check. Matching tights? Hell yeah. Teeny tiny shoes: yes and even yesser. Hair accessory? Duh.
Then, they got all mobile and opinionated. My vision of tiny doll-like-girls was tossed aside with the matching ensembles. Lena shunned any jeans and insisted on wearing "soft pants" with everything. Colors, patterns, styles - be dammed. Emmeline has followed suit (heinous leopard print clown suit - but suit nonetheless). They have proclaimed "I will wear the things I feel like wearing when I feel like wearing them and rock it with panache" and never looked back. And, who am I to stop them?
Perhaps against my better judgment they have left the house wearing (just to name a few):
- Tiaras
- Princess Dresses
- Gymnastics leotards over sweat suits
- Plastic Rain Boots and bathing suits
- A bat costume
- Clothes that belong to me
- Clothes that belong to their friends
- Clothes that I have no idea where the hell they came from
- Clothes that are all one color but different variations of it
- Clothes that even Stevie Wonder could tell don't match
- Clothes that are two sizes too small
- Clothes that are several sizes too big
- Gaudy rhinestone clip-on earrings. Sometimes on their ears. Sometimes in other places.
- Stickers in their hair
- Extremely fancy Christmas dresses - all velvet and crinoline - in August. With wool tights. And monkey mittens
- Flip flops and snow pants in the summer
- A plastic bowl as a hat
- Feety pajamas and cowboy boots
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| Gymnastics leotard on backwards: Check Swim shirt worn as a skirt: Check Pink soft pants: Check Giant Singing Turkey as Accessory: Check |
Getting dressed is NOT my battle with the girls - because there are SO FREAKIN MANY OTHER BATTLES waged on a daily basis. You want to look like you just crawled out of a Salvation Army donation bin - be my guest. However there is ONE exception to the rule. You will not wear this:
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I am SSSOOO glad imwnot the only one!! I literally have this challenge daily. -_- My youngest being the most infamous of the three cherubs...she believes she can wear a bathing suit (alone) in January -in NY!!-, her Yo Gabba Gabba Brobee costume AND Disney Princess dresses (together) in May, and any other ridiculous outfit that seems to suit her fancy!
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying I'm enjoying the fact that you feel me pain, but I kind of am. :-) Maybe the self-confidence our children display through their ensembles is an indication of how they will carry themselves in the future. *fingers crossed!!*
That's what I'm hoping too. And, also setting some future therapy funds aside, just in case...
DeleteWe were at a function at a park this October. Some people had come from out of town and we were pointing our kids out as they played. I said, "That one dressed like the hobo right there is mine." I'm with you on this one.
ReplyDeleteLOL - Yes. For some reason I feel the need to loudly announce "They dressed themselves today" just so strangers don't think I need an intervention.
DeleteI can not stop laughing at the Bat Costume! Project Runway here they come!!
ReplyDeleteThat freakin bat costume had to be hidden because Lena would STILL wear it if I let her.
DeleteThe one battle I have surrendered in with my daughter: clothes and accessories. I let her handle it. I learned very quickly that I cannot fight that battle with her. My boys-I still say here, wear this and they do.
ReplyDeleteDiva left the house the other day wearing turquoise leggings, a bright red tutu, purple Tangled dress up high heels, a white long sleeve shirt with a pink and purple short sleeve shirt over it. All while sporting a Minnie Mouse purse, a blue Cinderella tiara and Barbie sunglasses.
She was a HOT MESS. And she loved every minute of it.
Take pictures. Ammunition for the teenage years.
DeleteLOL yes yes yes! People must think that either my daughter or I are blind based on how she dresses. My thought is that if I let her express herself now with ridiculous clothes and hairstyles she won't need to do it as a teenager. Because that is totally how that works, right? RIGHT? It looks cute when little ones dress like eccentric homeless people. It's just annoying when teens do it.
ReplyDeleteI actually have a photo album on my personal Facebook page devoted to my daughter's fashions. You've inspired me to write a post about this myself. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMake sure you share it!
DeleteAlright, I don't have kids (yet, YET!) but I think moms who let their kids dress themselves are doing the right thing. No harm is going to come to your kid if they are wearing something ridiculous and they are learning to make choices and discovering what they like. I think it's beautiful and always love to see little homeless-looking kids when I'm out and about. Rock on!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank goodness because yesterday when we were all wearing capes I was pretty sure someone was going to call the police on us. **Freak show alert!**
DeleteThat's so hot!! I see a future as a runway model somewhere in the future.
ReplyDeleteYes, when Zoolander's Derelicte fashion line takes off!
DeleteI LOVE this post! Every day as I chase the boys upstairs to get dressed for school, my recurring battle-cry is:
ReplyDelete"NOBODY had better come down here looking like a homeless person!!"
Of course, they all come downstairs looking like they slept under Lower Wacker Drive. But I do try.
Sigh...yup. Between the clothes and the brushing your teeth arguments - I'm ready to go back to bed by 8am.
DeleteYour daughters are my heroes. :]
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little, my mom and I were always in a constant battle over what I would wear. For four summers straight, I wore nothing but jelly-shoes. When we were unable to find them on the fifth summer, I proclaimed I was going to be barefoot (until my mom put an end to that). I also had this thing against matching my clothes, so every time I got dressed, I wore stripes with leopard prints or sweats with a blouse-type shirt.
There are some awesome photos of me dressed as a child.
Yeah. Mine will cringe when they're teenagers and I take out the albums to show them off. Muahahahahaha....
DeleteThe good opinion of people who will judge you based on the aesthetics of how your young child is dressed are not worth seeking. And the clothes battle--yeah, there are so many others that you have to prevail at else the little creatures will die! I need to ask, though, about that last pic: is the the fashion faux pas of socks with sandals that disturbs you, or sandals in winter? Just curious...
ReplyDeleteNo - it's all socks with sandals. If you want to have cold tiny toes - that's your deal. But, if it's so cold you have to wear socks out with your sandals. No. And so ugly I can't stand it.
DeleteMy 8yo daughter picks her own clothes out, and sometimes they match, but just as often then do NOT. She also hates having her hair brushed, so I go for the de-tangle but I have NEVER styled her hair once. Like you said, not my battle. My ex is always saying what a crappy mom I am, because, "Just look at her!"... and I'm like, yeah, we have fun, she draws happy pictures, she is a second grader reading on a fifth grade level, and she is always warm and ready with a hug... Just look at her. One of these days, all too soon, I'm sure, she will care about style and fitting in and attempt to dress like a skanky hoe-bag. Just lemme enjoy her carefree, childish ways before she turns into a snarky asshole teenager, mmm-kay?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know I'm in good company with the ill-dressed kids. We should get them all together sometime for pictures. You know, as proof to my ex that I'm not the only supposedly shitty mom out there who picks her battles.
You're a kick ass mom who allows her child the freedom of choice and creating their own look. And, just because that "look" happens to feature dreadlocks...who are we to judge?
DeleteHa ha!! I used to always tell people, "Sorry my child looks like a foster kid, or an extra in Annie the Musical." Love it!
ReplyDelete